Texas head coach Charlie Strong, left, and his counterpart at Texas A&M, Kevin Sumlin, went head to head Wednesday on National Signing Day in the eyes of many Lone Star State football fans.

Wednesday’s National Signing Day provided former conference rivals Texas and Texas A&M a rare opportunity for direct competition, and if nothing else allowed the two fan bases to again fight over bragging rights of some sort, even if they do revolve around the whims of teenagers.

Ultimately, what most will point to will be the class rankings by the major recruiting services and websites, and by all accounts UT head coach Charlie Strong is winning this battle with his A&M counterpart, Kevin Sumlin.

Of the four major recruiting websites, all but rivals.com had the Longhorns’ class ranked higher than the Aggies’ haul as of 3:30 p.m., with UT checking in at 12 and A&M at 10. ESPN, on the other hand, had UT at 7th overall and A&M 10th; scout.com followed suit with the two teams 8th and 10th, respectively; and 247sports.com likewise had the Longhorns higher, 11th compared to the Aggies at 12th.

The two big prizes of of A&M’s class — Murray and fellow five-star recruit Daylon Mack, a defensive tackle from Gladewater High School — were expected to be Aggies all along, even if the latter de-committed in the weeks leading up to his announcement.

“We’ve added athleticism and depth,” Sumlin said. “What we’ve learned is this is not just a talent league, but a talent and depth league.”

And while Murray’s officially an Aggie as of now, that could change come June when he’s expected to be a first-round selection in Major League Baseball’s draft.

“When June comes that’ll be another life-changing decision I’ll need to make,” Murray, a standout second baseman, told reporters after signing his A&M paperwork.

The Longhorns, meanwhile, managed to woo a pair of prospects who were considered locks to sign on with Pac-12 schools, adding Aledo wide receiver Ryan Newsome (who’d been committed to UCLA) and Beaumont Central safety P.J. Locke (who’d been committed to Oregon) to an already stacked class.

“We don’t mind going out of state to battle,” said Strong, who signed a total of nine out-of-state recruits in the 2015 class. “That’s what it’s all about. We weren’t going to back down.”

2014 Texas A&M football season

Single-game tickets for the 2015 AdvoCare Texas Kickoff featuring Arizona State and Texas A&M will go on sale to the general public at 9 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 16. Ticket prices range from $65-$250 and may be purchased online or by calling 832-667-2390. A limited number of luxury suites are still available, to purchase call 832-667-2160. Tickets will be available at the NRG Stadium box office starting Monday, Jan. 19 at 10 a.m. CST.

The 2015 AdvoCare Texas Kickoff is one of four neutral-site kickoff games in the country. The game will be played on Saturday, Sept. 5 and will be televised nationally on ESPN. The 2014 installment of the game featured LSU and Wisconsin in front of a record crowd at NRG Stadium.

The AdvoCare Texas Kickoff will mark the first match-up beetween the schools.

Aggies arrested in the 2014 offseason

Former Texas A&M defensive end Gavin Stansbury plans to transfer to Houston and will be eligible to play immediately, a person with knowledge of Stansbury’s plans said.

Stansbury was dismissed from Texas A&M on July 21 by coach Kevin Sumlin for “personal issues.”

In April, Stansbury was arrested and charged in Harris County with misdemeanor assault after a Rice University student accused him of pouring beer on the student’s head and punching him in the face. Stansbury’s attorney has said the charge is a case of mistaken identity.

Stansbury, a 6-4, 257-pound senior from Franklin, La., played in 10 games with A&M last season and had 47 tackles and 3 sacks.

]]>http://blog.chron.com/sportsupdate/2014/07/uh-set-to-land-texas-am-football-transfer/feed/0Texas A&M’s 12th Man Foundation sees additional suits from donorshttp://blog.chron.com/sportsupdate/2013/08/12th-man-foundation-facing-multiple-lawsuits-over-kyle-field-redevelopment/
http://blog.chron.com/sportsupdate/2013/08/12th-man-foundation-facing-multiple-lawsuits-over-kyle-field-redevelopment/#commentsSat, 03 Aug 2013 00:24:38 +0000http://blog.chron.com/sportsupdate/?p=29991The 12th Man Foundation faces lawsuits in five Texas counties in its dispute with endowed scholarship donors over redevelopment plans for Texas A&M’s Kyle Field, which one attorney said takes the number of disgruntled Aggies past the description of “one or two unhappy people” with which the foundation’s president dismissed the initial suit.

At least 19 donors, each of whom gave $20,000 to $40,000 or more to fund scholarships at A&M, are now involved in lawsuits in Harris, Hays, Jefferson, Gregg and Nueces counties against the foundation that is raising money for the $450 million stadium redo.

Among the latest named plaintiffs are brothers George Harris Jr. and Joe Harris, both of whom are former presidents of the Houston A&M Club, and Houston eye surgeon Dr. Charles Moore.

The suits accuse the foundation of violating agreements that guaranteed donors tickets and parking privileges in return for their contributions. The foundation said it is honoring those agreements but also asking donors to pay their fair share to rebuild Kyle Field.

A hearing had been set for Friday in Houston on the plaintiffs’ request for a temporary restraining order injunction they said would protect their seating rights as the redevelopment plans continue. That motion was withdrawn after attorneys conferred Wednesday and Thursday.

Meanwhile, attorneys for the endowed donors trumpet as a victory what they describe as the foundation’s decision allowing them to buy tickets for the Aggies’ game at LSU regardless of their standing on the priority points list used to determine eligibility for ticket and parking benefits.

“We are pleased that apparently the foundation has finally changed its policy,” said Scott McQuarrie, who represents a couple that filed suit in 2011 over ticketing and parking issues.

Skip Wagner, the president of the 12th Man Foundation who described plaintiffs in the initial lawsuit as “one or two unhappy people out of literally hundreds of thousands,” disagreed with that description. He said the foundation corrected an “administrative error” by the ticket office in giving LSU tickets to endowed donors who were denied them.

Referring to the additional lawsuits, Wagner said the bulk of the 492 endowed donors are participating in the stadium reseating plan, which he said represents “more of a glass very full than a glass partly empty.”

“That’s pretty good, given the lengths to which the plaintiffs’ attorneys have gone to generate publicity and attempt to attract people to their lawsuit,” he said.

Foundation attorneys said the plaintiffs cannot show they face irreparable harm in the reseating process and are not entitled to “specific seats ‘set aside’ for them at a bargain-basement price.”

The Harris County suit filed by Tom and Delma Tullos of Porter is scheduled for trial in November, and McQuarrie said it is too soon to determine if it can be settled.

He said he also continues to hear from donors interested in joining in the lawsuit.

“We’re still waiting for some signal that the foundation understands that they have departed from doing the right thing,” he said. “(Endowed donors) have to come to grips with what they stand to lose financially, and for some it’s hundreds of thousands of dollars.”

Texas A&M 2013 football schedule

]]>http://blog.chron.com/sportsupdate/2013/08/12th-man-foundation-facing-multiple-lawsuits-over-kyle-field-redevelopment/feed/0With Cotton Bowl looming, Sumlin in no rush to hire coordinatorhttp://blog.chron.com/sportsupdate/2013/01/with-cotton-bowl-looming-sumlin-in-no-rush-to-hire-coordinator/
http://blog.chron.com/sportsupdate/2013/01/with-cotton-bowl-looming-sumlin-in-no-rush-to-hire-coordinator/#commentsTue, 01 Jan 2013 18:18:51 +0000http://blog.chron.com/aggies/?p=3861IRVING – Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin played the role of Aggies offensive coordinator this morning – at least during an interview session with media covering the Cotton Bowl in filling in for the vacant position on the staff.

Kevin Sumlin said Tuesday he is in no hurry to make such a large decision. (Brandon Wade/AP)

Kliff Kingsbury left A&M to become Texas Tech’s head coach last month, and Sumlin has said running backs coach Clarence McKinney will call the plays Friday night against Oklahoma in Cowboys Stadium.

Sumlin said this morning he’s in no rush to hire Kingsbury’s replacement, and that he likes to take his time with such an important hire. A year ago he didn’t hire defensive coordinator Mark Snyder from South Florida until Jan. 9 — and that’s certainly worked out for the Aggies.

A&M’s “offensive coordinator” and key members of the offense met with the media this morning, along with OU defensive coordinator Mike Stoops and select Sooners defenders.

In other news — and I mean “other” news from this morning’s press conference — A&M freshman quarterback Johnny Manziel was asked about his massive hands. He offered up he also wears size 15 shoes — quite the extremities for the 6-foot, 200-pound Heisman Trophy winner from Kerrville Tivy.

UNIVERSITY PARK – Fans strolled away from Ford Stadium chatting about Texas A&M freshman quarterback Johnny Manziel’s extraordinary showing on Saturday – but Aggies coach Kevin Sumlin said “the story of the game was how our defense kept us in the game early.”

The Aggies defeated SMU 48-3 following a scoreless first quarter.

“The defense kept us not only in the game, but gave us some energy, too,” Sumlin said. “Even though we scored 48 points, it was a great team win, based on how the game went early.”

After a punt-filled first quarter, Manziel wound up 20 of 36 for 294 yards with four touchdown passes and no interceptions. He was also the game’s leading rusher with 124 yards on 13 carries, despite not playing the fourth quarter. Afterward A&M senior receiver Uzoma Nwachukwu nicknamed Manziel “Captain Amazing,” to go with Manziel’s given nickname of “Johnny Football.”

A&M senior running back Christine Michael and senior safety Steven Campbell were suspended for the game for “violations of team rules,” according to Sumlin.

Sumlin said he informed Michael and Campbell that they wouldn’t play on Thursday. Freshman Trey Williams rushed for 42 yards on a dozen carries and junior Ben Malena followed with 34 yards on eight carries in Michael’s absence. The Aggies, who opened the Sumlin era with a 20-17 loss to Florida a week ago, next play host to South Carolina State at 6 p.m. next Saturday.

Third-quarter analysis: Aggies rolling

The rout is on. Texas A&M leads SMU 41-3 after three quarters – and hard to believe this contest was scoreless after the first quarter.

A&M freshman quarterback Johnny Manziel has thrown four touchdown passes and accounted for two more on the ground in the blowout. The Aggies led 20-0 at halftime, and have more than doubled their point total in the third quarter – quite a change after they failed to score in the second half a week ago in a 20-17 loss to Florida.

Manziel is the fourth A&M quarterback to throw four touchdown passes in a contest – the others are Kevin Murray, Jeff Granger and Reggie McNeal. No Aggies freshman has ever thrown five touchdown passes in a contest – something to keep an eye on in the final quarter.

Manziel is 20 of 36 for 294 yards, and also has 124 rushing yards through three quarters.

Second-quarter analysis: Manziel, Swope spark offense

Much like last week against Florida, Texas A&M got its offense rolling in the second quarter. The Aggies lead SMU 20-0 at halftime, after scoring all their points in the second quarter following a scoreless first frame.

The Aggies scored first on a 29-yard pass from Johnny Manziel to Ryan Swope across the middle with 8:38 remaining in the first half. A&M added to its total with a 48-yard sprint by Manziel up the middle with 3:26 until the break.

Finally, A&M scored with 1:03 remaining in the second quarter when Manziel escaped the pocket to his right and found Uzoma Nwachukwu across the middle for a final score. That drive had resulted from cornerback Otis Jacobs’ interception of Garrett Gilbert, A&M’s first turnover created this season.

The Aggies are playing without senior running back Christine Michael and senior safety Steven Campbell, both suspended for the all-encompassing “violations of team rules.”

The Aggies scored 14 points in the second quarter of a 20-17 loss to Florida a week ago.

-Brent Zwernerman

First-quarter analysis: Aggies, Mustangs trade punts

When SMU punted to end the first quarter, it was a fitting wrap to a sordid first quarter offensively for both Texas A&M and the Mustangs.

It featured seven punts, and the only reason it didn’t feature eight is A&M went for it on fourth-and-two of its final series, and threw it long incomplete.

The Aggies are playing without senior running back Christine Michael and senior safety Steven Campbell, both suspended for the contest for violations of team rules. The game is scoreless headed into the second quarter.

-Brent Zwernerman

Two suspended for unspecified violations

DALLAS – Texas A&M starting running back Christine Michael and starting safety Steven Campbell have been suspended for today’s game against SMU for the dreaded “violations of team rules.”

A&M coach Kevin Sumlin announced the duo’s suspensions about 20 minutes prior to kickoff of today’s contest. Running backs Ben Malena and Trey Williams are expected to earn the brunt of carries in Michael’s absence, while Deshazor Everett is expected to switch from cornerback to safety in Campbell’s place. Senior Dustin Harris likely will fill in for Everett at cornerback.

]]>http://blog.chron.com/sportsupdate/2012/09/follow-live-as-am-takes-on-smu/feed/0Aggieland no vacation destination for Muschamphttp://blog.chron.com/sportsupdate/2012/05/aggieland-no-vacation-destination-for-muschamps/
http://blog.chron.com/sportsupdate/2012/05/aggieland-no-vacation-destination-for-muschamps/#commentsWed, 16 May 2012 17:45:13 +0000http://blog.chron.com/aggies/?p=2467COLLEGE STATION – Florida coach Will Muschamp, a former Texas defensive coordinator, was asked Tuesday night at the Polk County Gator Club (that’s Polk County, Fla., not Polk County, Texas) to share his thoughts on the atmosphere at Texas A&M.

When his Florida Gators visit College Station, coach Will Muschamp predicts the atmosphere will be 'very SEC-like.' (Bill Haber/AP)

The Aggies enter the Southeastern Conference on July 1 and Florida plays at A&M on Sept. 8, in the Aggies’ first SEC contest in any sport.

“It will be a very SEC-like atmosphere,” Muschamp said, according to the Lakeland Ledger. “It’s one of the few places in the Big 12 that I would say that about.”

He added, “You ever been to College Station? It’ll be the only time you go.”

Ouch. Zinger. Welcome to the SEC. There might be a reason Muschamp is a little irate toward A&M, however, considering Cyrus Gray’s backside was the last thing he saw in Aggie gear, during A&M’s 24-17 victory in Austin in 2010.

Gray, now with the Kansas City Chiefs, rushed for 223 yards, most ever by an Aggie against the Longhorns, in Muschamp’s final game at UT. Honestly, it’s good to see a little good-natured welcome for the Ags to the SEC where, as Muschamp pointed out, they’ll fit right in.

Aggies 2012 schedule

]]>http://blog.chron.com/sportsupdate/2012/05/aggieland-no-vacation-destination-for-muschamps/feed/0Byrne officially steps down as Aggies’ ADhttp://blog.chron.com/sportsupdate/2012/05/byrne-officially-steps-down-as-aggies-ad/
http://blog.chron.com/sportsupdate/2012/05/byrne-officially-steps-down-as-aggies-ad/#commentsTue, 08 May 2012 19:05:31 +0000http://blog.chron.com/aggies/?p=2449COLLEGE STATION – After nearly 30 years and 30 national titles as an athletic director at three of the nation’s prominent universities, Bill Byrne announced Tuesday he plans to finally join the crowd.

“I’m going to come back here and watch the Aggies,” said Byrne, who mixed in humor with an emotional farewell before many of his Texas A&M coaches and a crowd of supporters in the Zone Club of Kyle Field. “I’m going to be just like the rest of you. I’m going to (gripe) about the ticket prices, I’m going to complain about the concession stands – everything. So expect to see a lot of me.”

Byrne’s near decade-long tenure as A&M’s athletic director wrapped up on Tuesday, more than a year before his contract was up on Aug. 31, 2013.

“In almost 30 years as an athletic director you take a lot of pounding on the job, and I was tired,” said Byrne, 66. “I was ready to go. It was time.”

Byrne

Senior associate athletic director John Thornton will serve as interim athletic director. Byrne, who also served as athletic director at Oregon and Nebraska prior to his A&M arrival in December 2002, will be a “special advisor” to A&M president R. Bowen Loftin from now until Aug. 31. Byrne will then be paid a lump sum for the final year on his contract (he makes $690,000 annually) in making way for a new AD.

A&M regent Jim Wilson and A&M vice president for marketing and communications Jason Cook will serve as co-chairmen of a search committee to tab Byrne’s replacement. While at Nebraska Byrne was a founding father of the Big 12 in the mid 1990s, and A&M is exiting the league after 16 years and joining the Southeastern Conference on July 1.

Byrne said Tuesday he didn’t play a part in the move to the SEC – “Those are decisions made above my pay grade,” he said – but added that he played the role of loyal servant during the process.

“My dad was a soldier and my mom was an Army nurse, and you’re taught to salute and carry on,” he said.

Under Byrne’s direction A&M won 17 national titles, including the last six in outdoor men’s and women’s track, nine in equestrian, one in men’s golf and one in women’s basketball.

“We need (Byrne) in the first year of the SEC for the transition,” said A&M women’s coach Gary Blair. “But when you’ve been beaten down so much and second-guessed so much … How many other sports do we have here? We’ve won in every damn one of them, but we’re penalized for not winning in football.
“He should have been allowed to retire at his own pace, like a Nolan Ryan or a great athlete, because of what he has accomplished.”

Byrne, whose family attended the farewell news conference, said he was most proud of changing A&M’s “culture from hoping to win to expecting to win,” and said his biggest disappointment was not winning more in football. A&M’s most prominent program – the one also funding most of the other sports – went 58-54 under coaches Dennis Franchione and Mike Sherman during Byrne’s tenure.

“Football is the sport I probably know most about, and last year was an absolute crusher for me,” Byrne said.

The Aggies started the season ranked in the top 10 but finished 7-6, in blowing five large second-half leads under Sherman, who was fired by Loftin on Dec. 1 despite Byrne’s steadfast support of his coach.

“We lost four games by nine points and dropped 60 (passes),” Byrne said Tuesday. “I thought we were so much better last year athletically and with our team speed, but we didn’t win the close ones. Last season crushed me.”